Chocolate rice krispie treats are the best no-bake under 15-minute dessert for all my chocolate lovers out there. These crispy, gooey, chocolatey cereal treats are made with browned butter, cocoa krispies, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder for the most indulgent childhood treat.
Chocolate rice krispie treats are the best no-bake under 15-minute dessert for all my chocolate lovers out there. These crispy, gooey, chocolatey cereal treats are made with browned butter, cocoa krispies, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder for the most indulgent childhood treat.
Chocolate lovers these ooey gooey chocolate rice krispies made with 3x the chocolate are screaming your name. Plus, these childhood classic chocolate rice krispie treats are a simple yet delicious no-bake dessert that you can make in under 15 minutes!
Rice crispy treats were the first dessert recipe that inspired my baking journey. Even though this recipe may seem really easy for most, I really messed them up the first few times I tried making them. The one silver lining for all my mistakes is that I have a wealth of knowledge of what not to do and what to watch out for when you make these chocolate rice krispie treats. So if you are a newbie baker, be sure to check out my tips section below!
These chocolate-covered rice krispie treats will more than satisfy your chocolate cravings! But if you are still craving some more chocolate why not check out my mochi brownies, nama chocolates, and chocolate steamed buns recipes!
There are about a million reasons why you need to make these chocolate rice krispies but here are 3 really good ones.
Quick and Easy. These chocolate rice crispy treats are the easiest no-bake desserts that you can make in under 15 minutes!
Triple the Chocolate. These chocolate chip rice krispie treats are made with triple the chocolate—cocoa krispies, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and cocoa powder for triple the fun!
InstantCrowd Pleaser. Make a tray of these chocolate rice krispie treats for your next game night or dinner party and they will be an instant hit!
Kitchen Equipment
These quick and easy chocolate rice crispy treats can easily be whipped up by using 2 pieces of kitchen equipment!
Large Pot: Make sure to use a large pot big enoughto hold the cocoa krispies and marshmallows.
8×8 or 9×9 Baking Pan: this recipe makes enough for an 8×8 baking pan or 9×9 inch baking pan. I used an 8×8 baking pan for deeper rice krispies. Or you can double the recipe to make enough for a 9×13-inch pan.
Ingredients
This gooey, chocolatey, crispy chocolate chip rice krispie treats only requires 7 ingredients. But I highly recommend splurging a little on the chocolate chips and cocoa powder for the best-tasting chocolate-covered rice krispies.
Unsalted butter: will be browned to add depth and a layer of nutty flavor.
Miniature marshmallows: mini marshmallows melt quicker than large marshmallows which are ideal since you do not want to overcook the butter. Make sure to buy fresh marshmallows for optimal texture.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Not all cocoa powders are made equally. Make sure to use a high-quality cocoa powder that is unsweetened. I recommend splurging and using Rodelle’s cocoa powder. You won’t regret it.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: the chocolate chips play a huge role in the flavor and overall texture of the final chocolate-covered rice krispie treats. I highly recommend using high-quality melting chocolate chips. My go-to will always be Callebaut’s semi-sweet chocolate chips it melts easily, has the best texture, and the richest chocolatey flavor.
Cocoa Krispies Cereal: I recommend using cocoa krispies over cocoa pebbles. Cocoa krispies have more crunch since they are puffier and have more air in them whereas cocoa pebbles tend to be flatter and a bit dense.
Sea Salt: a pinch of salt accentuates the sweetness and balances out any bitterness from the chocolate.
Vanilla Extract: adds a hint of vanilla flavor to the chocolate-covered rice krispie treats.
Substitutions and Additions
If you’d like to customize your chocolate rice krispie treats experience, I’ve listed some ideas below.
Substitutions
Peanut butter chips: if you want to make these into chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats, you can sub out 1/2 the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips.
Dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips: you can opt for using dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
Additions
Nuts, M&M’s, crushed Oreos, etc. for added flavors and textures!
Chocolate ganache: you can make these chocolate chip rice krispies into an ultra-chocolatey experience by covering them with chocolate ganache.
White chocolate drizzle: an easy way to make these into Halloween rice krispie treats is by adding some sprinkled eyes and drizzling some white chocolate over them and making them into mummy rice krispie treats.
How to Make Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
The best part about this chocolate rice crispy treats recipe is that it can be made in under 15 minutes!
Prepare the baking dish. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and then lightly grease the pan with butter or cooking spray.
Brown the butter. In a large nonstick pot, melt the butter on medium heat and swirl the pan occasionally until the butter smells nutty and there are a few toasty amber brown bits at the bottom of the pot about 3-4 minutes. The butter will foam and sizzle around the edges but then subside when the butter has browned. The butter will brown quickly so do not leave the stove unattended.
Melt the marshmallows. Once the butter has browned, reduce the heat to low and add in 5 cups of marshmallows (leaving 1/2 cup set aside). Stir the marshmallows constantly until they are completely melted.
Add the chocolate. Once the marshmallows are fully melted, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, chocolate chips, salt and vanilla. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Add the cocoa krispies. Working quickly, pour in the Cocoa Krispies and gently fold to combine. Lastly, add in the remaining 1/2 cup of marshmallows. Gently fold to combine.
Set. Pour the chocolate rice krispies mixture into the prepared pan. Lightly grease your hands with butter or cooking spray to gently distribute the mixture evenly. Make sure to not press too tightly. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top and rest for about 15-30 minutes before cutting.
Use fresh marshmallows. I recommend buying the marshmallows either the day of or the day before you make these chocolate rice krispies. Even marshmallows that are the slightest bit stale will make your rice krispy treats hard.
Watch the butter closely when browning. The butter will bubble up and brown quickly within a matter of minutes. Keep a close eye on it, periodically swirl the pot, and immediately turn down the heat when there are a few amber bits at the bottom of the pot.
Mix quickly. Once you add the cocoa cereal to the marshmallow mixture it will begin to firm up, so work quickly to evenly fold the cereal for a homogenous mixture.
Don’t press too hard when adding the chocolate-covered rice krispy treat mixture to the baking pan. You do not want a thick, dense brick of a treat. Instead, lightly press to fill the baking sheet to leave a little air in between each piece of cereal.
Storage Instructions
You can store these chocolate chip rice krispie treats in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s
Why are my chocolate rice crispy treats dry?
Since this chocolate chip rice krispie treats recipe only has a few ingredients, the ratios are key to making the perfect texture. Dryness could be due to using too much cereal. To fix this, I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the accurate amount of cocoa cereal to prevent it from being too dry.
Why are my rice krispie treats falling apart?
This could be due to not using enough marshmallows or the marshmallows you have used are not fresh enough and they will not melt as well. Old marshmallows will melt into one giant blob and will not mix as well.
Why are my chocolate rice krispies not crispy?
Using too much butter could cause your chocolate-covered rice krispie treats to absorb too much moisture and become soggy.
Chocolate rice krispie treats are the best no-bake under 15-minute dessert for all my chocolate lovers out there. These crispy, gooey, chocolatey cereal treats are made with browned butter, cocoa krispies, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder for the most indulgent childhood treat.
Prepare the baking dish. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and then lightly grease the pan with butter or cooking spray.
Brown the butter. In a large nonstick pot, melt the butter on medium heat and swirl the pan occasionally until the butter smells nutty and there are a few toasty amber brown bits at the bottom of the pot, about 3-4 minutes, remove from heat immediately. The butter will foam and sizzle around the edges but then subside when the butter has browned. The butter will brown quickly so do not leave the stove unattended.
Melt the marshmallows. Once the butter has browned, reduce the heat to low and add in 5 cups of marshmallows (leaving 1/2 cup set aside). Stir the marshmallows constantly until they are completely melted.
Add the chocolate. Once the marshmallows are fully melted, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, chocolate chips, salt and vanilla. Continue stirring with a rubber spatula until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Add the cocoa krispies. Working quickly, pour in the Cocoa Krispies and gently fold with a rubber spatula to combine. Lastly, add in the remaining 1/2 cup of marshmallows. Gently fold to combine.
Set. Pour the chocolate rice krispie mixture into the prepared pan. Gently distribute the mixture evenly. Make sure to not press too tightly. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top and rest for about 15-30 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Use high-quality chocolate ingredients. The best-tasting recipes use the best quality ingredients. I HIGHLY recommend using Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate chips and Rodelle’s cocoa powder for the most decadent chocolate experience.
Use fresh marshmallows. I recommend buying the marshmallows either the day of or the day before you make these chocolate rice krispies. Even marshmallows that are the slightest bit stale will make your rice krispy treats hard.
Watch the butter closely when browning. The butter will bubble up and brown quickly within a matter of minutes. Keep a close eye on it, periodically swirl the pot, and immediately turn down the heat when there are a few amber bits at the bottom of the pot.
Mix quickly. Once you add the cocoa cereal to the marshmallow mixture it will begin to firm up, so work quickly to evenly fold the cereal for a homogenous mixture.
Don’t press too hard when adding the chocolate-covered rice krispy treat mixture to the baking pan. You do not want a thick, dense brick of a treat. Instead, lightly press to fill the baking sheet to leave a little air in between each piece of cereal.
Storage: You can store these chocolate chip rice krispie treats in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
Rate & Review What did you think of this recipe?